THE SOFT, luxurious fabric of my dress itches as though it were made out of some disgustingly inferior fabric, though I am very aware that North picked this out for me, so there is every chance that it is cashmere or some other luxury fiber handmade by artisans. It doesn’t matter though because, as far as I’m concerned, it’s made out of barbed wire.
“Stop fussing,” Sage murmurs at me as she lifts the curler from my hair, and I shoot her a sheepish smile.
“I can’t help it. I hate this. Can’t we just… call in sick or something? I’m sure Felix could write us a doctor’s note.”
She grins at me and shakes her head lovingly. “I’m the only one allowed to use my Bonded for nefarious purposes like that, Fallows. You and Sawyer need to get in line.”
I press a palm against my chest as though I am deeply insulted by her words, gasping dramatically. “And here I was sharing North Draven’s power and prestige openly with you. I’ll be rethinking that in the future, so you better not set any more buildings on fire.”
She cackles and pulls out another section of my hair, winding it around the curling wand for me carefully.
I hate curling my hair or touching it in any way, shape, or form, especially since it has gotten even brighter. When North had informed us all of the town meeting he was calling, he’d made it clear that we all needed to show up in our finest attire with our best attitudes to show a united and confident front.
He’d argued with Nox about it for days.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Nox showed up in nothing but a garbage bag and a cloak made of shadow creatures just to really ram home his opinion on such things. He vehemently hates them all and hates that North is going to be dealing with them on our behalf.
I care little for it all.
Just the thought of their eyes as they look up at me with a mixture of fear and loathing grates on me, but I know that it’s not my fault. I was born the way I was, and at least I’m doing something good with my Gift.
“I still think that North should just send out a decree about what he’s doing and let people just deal with it the same way that kings used to. It makes no sense to me that we are going to grovel for them right now,” Sawyer says as he steps into the room, buttoning up the dress shirt that Aro’s forced him into wearing.
He had every intention of showing up in an old band tee and sweatpants as an act of rebellion, but his Bonded has him firmly wrapped around her finger. A single word from her had him scrambling for his Sunday best.
I roll my eyes at him. “We’re trying to make sure that the community doesn’t think that we’re vicious dictators who think of them as nothing but pawns in a war. I’m pretty sure that sending out decrees would kind of set us back.”
He shrugs with a grin, ducking his head so that he can look into the mirror and fuss with his hair. “North owns this place. I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. And to be honest, he could tell me that he’s building a giant statue of himself and putting a throne at the bottom of it for him to sit on, and I’d still lick his boots every day. The alternative is to go back out there into the world and hope that I can face the Resistance, and now god-bonds, by myself. There’s no way. I know exactly what those people did to my Bonded and her family. I know what they did to Gray’s family. I know what they did to you. That’s enough for me. I’m more than happy to stay here with my sister and my Bonded Group and know that we’re safe because of people like North Draven. Even if he does turn out to be an evil asshole, it’ll be worth it for me.”
My bond does not like Sawyer calling North an evil asshole, but I can appreciate what he’s saying.
He always did have a special way with words.
There’s a bang on the bathroom door and then Gray’s voice calls out, “The three of you really need to get a move on. We’re going to be late at this rate, and I’m pretty sure North will throw a fit if his Bonded isn’t there on time.”
Sage winces and shoots me a look, fussing with my hair one last time before finally declaring herself done.
“He’s not wrong, you know. North really will lose his shit if you’re late, and I’d rather not have that be my fault,” she mumbles under her breath, and I shrug.
“Perks of being my bestie. I will absolutely deflect North away from any anger he might have at you.”
She rolls her eyes at me and bounces my hair one last time, smiling at the results, but I look anywhere but the mirror in front of me. I don’t need to see it. If she says it’s perfect, then it’s good enough for me.
I shove my feet into the small pair of kitten heels that North had dropped off with the dress and fuss with the back of them until they’re comfortable, groaning under my breath as I pick at the dress again, trying to get comfy. It’s simple and black, elegant without being fussy, and while it covers me from collarbone to knee, it’s still a very glamorous cut. It’s exactly the sort of dress that I would expect North Draven to pick out for me. It gives just enough hints that says he thinks I am beautiful without sharing his Bonded with anyone, even the rest of the Bonded Group.
When I mention this to Sage, she giggles and nods her head. “That sounds exactly like any Bonded man, Oli.”
We open the door to find Gray and Aro waiting for Sawyer, their arms crossed as they both stare him down as though he’s a petulant puppy refusing to do as he’s told.
It’s incredibly funny; even more so when he ducks his head and mumbles an apology for his bratty behavior.
“I never thought I would see the day,” Sage mutters to me, and I cackle along with her, giving Aro a quick hug as I pass her by.
She only sticks around for as long as it takes her to reassure herself that Sawyer is getting ready and wearing the appropriate attire before she’s off and running around after her younger brother. Lahn has no interest in wearing dress pants and a nice shirt. I’m surprised when Wick is the one who convinces the boy to slow down and get dressed with nothing more but a few kind words and the promise of a few rounds of Mario Kart when they get home.
He’s incredibly kind and patient with the boy, helpful to Aro, and very respectful of her as they work as a team to get the boy dressed. I watch, a little shocked for a moment, before I turn to Sage, finding my bestie staring with literal heart eyes at her newest Bonded.
I bite down on a smile, and when she notices me, she nudges me with her shoulder. “I can’t help it. I’ve been so worried about finding him a place in our Bonded Group that it didn’t even occur to me that he would figure one out by himself.”
“Has he? Figured it out, I mean,” I say quietly, and she nods.
“It’s still pretty rough around here. Lahn had a nightmare about the Resistance a few nights ago. He was screaming, and we all woke up in a panic. Aro couldn’t get him to calm down, and Wick was so quick to jump into helping her. He sat with him for most of the night, and he helped Felix to check him over once Lahn was calm enough. He didn’t even hesitate for a second, and it just proved to me and to the rest of the Bonded Group that he really is a good person. It’s just a big adjustment period for us all.”
I’ve had a few of those myself, so I can’t help but nod back, slipping my arm into hers as we both watch the little boy dance around Wick on his tippy-toes, chatting away about high scores and the color of the car that he wants to win in one of the games.
Wick smiles back down at him, chatting away nicely and pointing things out to him that his sister needs, getting his shoes and socks on and finishing off the basic care tasks to get the little boy to the town meeting.
The difference in the way that Gray and Sawyer both regard Wick is like night and day. When we’d last been here, there had been nothing but derision and snark thrown in his direction, but now there is a thankful air around them, kindness and respect as they help their Bonded with her brother. I’m grateful that Sage might finally catch a break.
We head out to the ATVs together, Atlas and Gabe waiting at the door for us all. They were both happy to give me space while I got my hair done, especially since they know how much I hate the experience. When they see me, I duck my head to hide my grin from them.
Who would have thought such a simple dress would ignite both of them like that?
“The entire town is about to get an eyeful of you guys if you don’t get your shit together,” Sawyer snarks, choosing his words very carefully as he directs the small boy into one of the ATVs.
Trust Sawyer to figure out how to make dirty innuendos on the sly around small ears. Aro just shakes her head at him, buckling Lahn in and handing him one of the small, handheld consoles that he loves so much.
“Just until we get there and the meeting starts, and only because you did such a good job getting ready, then it’s off and you have to be quiet and respectful while we listen to Mr. Draven speak, okay? He does a lot for us in our community. You need to be a good member of this town that keeps us safe.”
Lahn listens intently to her and then nods his head, taking the game from her and switching it on without another word. He always seems so good and well-mannered to me, but I’ve heard from Sage that he definitely has spirit and some trauma that has kept his sister up a lot at night.
I can’t imagine how difficult the burden of raising her younger sibling is. The way that she does it with such devotion, love, and respect for him is a huge credit to both her and her Bonded Group. I only hope that things will settle down in the world soon so that we can get to know the little boy a little bit more and help him make friends in the Sanctuary.
With the way things are at the moment, Aro doesn’t even want to send him to the school in case he gets targeted for being so close to our Bonded Groups. It was something else I felt a small sprinkling of guilt about until Sage pointed out that it was as much about her own Bonded Group as it is about ours.
Kieran and Felix are notable players, as well as Sawyer, thanks to his job doing security.
Not everything is about me and my void eyes.
That was a quiet dose of reality I very much needed. As we approach the dining hall, the only structure big enough to house the entire population of the Sanctuary, if everyone stands, I remind myself of that again.
Not everything is about me.
But this meeting just might be.
IT DOESN’T MATTER how prepared we are for the situation. There are always hiccups, the first of which is Nox’s complete meltdown about where everyone is going to stand. I can see how much it grates on Atlas until he realizes what exactly is going on here.
Nox is concerned, of course, that someone is going to try to attack North as he’s speaking. It would be a stupid idea, but it’s also a very real possibility now that we know about the god-bonds and their ability to mess with things even inside the safety of the Sanctuary walls.
He also knows that I am the bigger target here.
So Nox finds himself split between who he is going to protect himself, the only person he truly trusts to do the job properly. I think we’re going to have to watch the Draven brothers fight it out over canceling the meeting, except then I witness a minor miracle.
“I’ll stand with North. I can project my Gift onto him the entire time, and if you guys all stand closely enough, I can project it over Oli as well, that way you can stand with her but know that I have North covered, as well as our Bonded,” Atlas says in a very firm and confident voice.
I watch as the cogs turn in Nox’s brain. He doesn’t answer him right away, but it’s also not a disrespectful thing, he’s figuring out whether or not this situation feels safe enough for him. Whether or not he feels as though his brother is going to be guarded enough. I can tell that North is having to physically restrain himself from getting involved, but we leave it to Nox for a moment until finally, he turns to me, three shadows falling from his body as Mephis, Procel, and Rahab appear.
“Stand right here with me, Oleander,” he says, pointing. I do as he says, ignoring the shortness of his tone.
It’s all the answer that Atlas needs as he steps up beside North and gives him a nod. Gryphon flanks my other side and talks to Gabe quietly as they figure out exactly where best to position themselves. If anything happens, Gabe will need the room to shift into a dragon if the Draconis takes over.
Gryphon has a good point of view from where he’s standing, able to not only reach out with his mind to see where everyone is but also to check for any discrepancies within the crowd.
As I prepare myself just in case we require Soul-Rending today, though I sincerely hope that isn’t going to be the case, Nox’s fingers wrap around my wrist like a bracelet, holding me as though he thinks I’m going to attempt to run away from him. Or maybe he thinks I’ll run head-first towards any danger that might appear. I’m not sure, but I don’t attempt to pull away or move from him even as the room begins to fill up around us.
I hate the feeling of all of their eyes on me.
I never did enjoy being the center of attention like this, and my sarcastic nature wants to kick in, to deflect away from the situation. Unfortunately, I promised North I’d be on my best behavior.
Something I kind of regret now.
Sage’s Bonded Group comes to stand at the front with us where Kieran can watch over his Bonded as much as he watches over the room, and Sawyer’s Bonded Group comes in shortly after, having waited outside until their parents had arrived. The Bensons stand close to their children, looking well-dressed and confident as they throw their support behind us as well. Vivian, Unser, and Adella shepherd in their own children as they join us.
North had taken a very calculated risk when he called the meeting, and he and the others had spent quite a lot of time making sure that security was in place, knowing we were all going to be in one spot for however long this takes.
I don’t feel as concerned about it.
Not with my Gift cast out like a net over the entire building and knowing that Gryphon is doing the same, our eyes both glowing black with the use of our power. I’m sure it’s making some people here uncomfortable, but I’d rather be sure we’re all safe.
Nox’s fingers tighten around my wrist, and I glance up at him, but his eyes are fixed on the end of the room as more people fill the space.
What is it? I send to him, and he doesn’t react as he answers me.
I recognize some of the newcomers from Draven. I don’t like them, and North should have warned me.
I nod and flex my fingers but there’s nothing I can do to fix that situation, something for the brothers to work out amongst themselves. Instead, I stand there with my void eyes surrounded by my beloved Bonded Group as the entire town watches us. I stand there with my back straight in the beautiful dress North had picked for me, my white, ghostly hair curled to perfection, makeup on, kitten heels, and red lips stretched into a smile as though I’m not a monster in disguise.
I stand there and hope that they all believe me, because it’s true.
Then North starts the meeting, carefully stepping up to the microphone as he smooths a hand down his tie and buttoned jacket. Atlas shadows him the whole way with his own void eyes as he calls on his Gift to ensure that our Bonded Group is safe.
“Thank you for joining us here tonight. I know that this is unexpected, but there have been a lot of changes here in the Sanctuary over the last few days that we need to discuss. I am happy to be the one to go over it all with you and keep you up to date. Please save all questions until the end.”
THE MEETING with the entire town goes about as well as we were expecting.
Half of the room can’t believe that North would want to give up control of the place, and the other half feel as though they’re being thrown out to sea without a life raft, though we do everything we can to reassure them that this isn’t the case.
“The council cannot continue. It is an outdated form of control, and as a community, we have moved past it. Ranking everybody’s Gifts into Top Tier and Lower Tier is a sign of elitism, and it only serves those in power,” North says, and I hear the ripple of disgruntled voices at the front of the group.
I’m quick to look over at them, using the haunting sight of my void eyes on each of them as a deterrent for the grumbling, and it works swiftly.
I see members of the now-defunct council swallow roughly and shift uncomfortably on their feet. Unhappy as they might be with no longer being at the top of the food chain, they aren’t willing to take me on to get their status back.
“It’s been a breeding ground for Resistance recruiters, and we all know it. Look around. There are only four families from the council here in the Sanctuary, only four families could make it through the vetting process. It’s unacceptable. We can’t continue that way. We know this already; only a madman would continue trying the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.”
I feel my bond’s pleasure inside of my chest, and I’m careful not to let the smile show on my face. We were those ‘mad men’, of course. The bonds chose to live over and over and over again until this time, finally, we all live together, but there’s no need to be fussy over the way that North is wording things right now.
We’re here to show our support of him and his decisions, to show a united Bonded Group, along with our friends, as we attempt to make things better.
“You really think this is going to work as a democracy?” someone calls out. Although North had asked for the questions to be held off until he finished, he’s happy to answer.
“I think that’s exactly what we need. I think that a voice needs to be given to members of many different Bonded Groups, from all upbringings and experiences. Then we can come together to make decisions that serve us all, not just those who have always held power.”
“That’s easy for you to say, Draven,” someone else calls out, and I tug a little at the net I’ve cast out to figure out exactly who it was. Unsurprisingly, it’s a family member of one of the councilmen; a son who had hoped to someday hold the chair his father currently sits on. North is a lot more kind than I feel when he addresses the kid.
“I have made it very clear to every member of the council over the years and every person who has come into this town that they are more than welcome to question my stances on things, but to question my integrity over something like this comes with only one answer. You show me where you have funneled all of your resources, your wealth, your privilege, the things that you were given by birth and not just worked for yourself; you show me that you have funneled them into something that is purely for your community, without any payment or expectations. Then you can speak to me on such issues. I built this town for my community. I have fed this town. I have provided utilities and supplies, and I have done it all without ever asking for a single thing in return. I did so with my father’s money, my grandfather’s money, and my great-grandfather’s money. I did so with the seat on the council that was given to me by birth and by blood. I did so without ever expecting so much as a ‘thank you’, which is a good thing, because most people haven’t thought to thank me for a damn thing.”
He takes a breath and looks down at me for a second before looking back up, using a single moment to square away his own feelings before continuing. “My father started this town with my uncle. My father, who you’re all so terrified of for a single moment of extreme anger and emotion that he had no control over. Every last one of you villainized him for a single moment of his life that wasn’t his best. Let me make one thing very clear to you all now—my mother deserved the death she got.”
The entire room goes silent.
I refuse to look around at anyone or make a face that might give away how I feel about what North is saying. Nox’s fingers are cold around my wrist, but he’s not surprised by this admission.
North must have warned him that it was coming.
“I will not speak on this issue any further. I won’t tolerate any gossip about it either. My mother transgressed on such a level that I feel nothing towards her death but gratitude to my father for doing what was right, even at the cost of his own life. I have borne the brunt of the hatred and distrust for my family name because of an act of real love from a father, and I did so because it’s no one else’s business. My father died with a clear conscience, and I have always intended to live up to his legacy. Dissolving the council and setting up a new one does so.”
No one dares to speak, no one moves, and no one in this room dares to question the honesty or integrity of North Draven again.
